Best and worst celebrity name changes

What's in a name?

Ron Artest's decision to change his name to Metta World Peace should be applauded for all the wrong reasons. Here's other memorable celebrities who have decided to change their names for better or worse.

Credit: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

BETTER Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier)

Alice Cooper has made a name for himself putting on some of the greatest heavy metal shows of all time and creating a witty and charismatic public persona all his own. Had he had his original name of Vincent Damon Furnier on stage, it is doubtful he would have been projected to such superstardom. Vincent Furnier just doesn

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BETTER Cat Stevens (born Steven Demetre Georgiou)

Steven Demetre Georgiou knew that getting a cool sounding hipster name -- like Cat Stevens -- would pay off in the future.

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BETTER Michael Caine (born Maurice Micklewhite)

Have you ever met a suave and sophisticated Maurice who is capable of being nominated for multiple Academy Awards and captivating audiences for sexy, nuanced performances? No? Well, neither has Michael Caine, which is precisely why he changed his name.

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BETTER Anne Rice (born Howard Allen O

We don't exactly dig the whole I'll-pretend-to-be-a-man-just-so-I-can-become-a-NY-Times-bestselling-author, but if you're born with a man's name and want to pimp the fact that you're a successful female writer, then more power to you.

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BETTER Snoop Dog (born Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr.)

If a man named Cordozar told you to "Drop it Like It

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BETTER Lady Gaga (born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta)

The name Lady Gaga is just so much more catchy than Germanotta, which we can't pronounce. Plus there's only enough space for one Queen Stefani in the world: Gwen Stefani.

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BETTER Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach)

Cary Grant is thought of as a charismatic leading man capable of wooing anyone woman. A leech, which sounds exactly like his surname, is not. Thus, the decision to stay away from that particular last name is not only an understandable one, but a commendable one.

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BETTER Ice Cube (born O'Shea Jackson)

Now we like the name O'Shea, but if you're going to claim to be the scribe who penned "Boyz in the Hood" it sounds much better if your name is as cool as Ice.

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BETTER Eminem/Slim Shady (born Marshall Bruce Mathers III)

Marshal Matthers isn't a bad name, but it sounds too establishment. The stage names Eminem and Slim Shady suit the Grammy winning rapper far better. Matthers chose the name Eminem because it is a play on his initials M and M, which when said fast sounds like Eminem; anyone who has eaten the little chocolate candies knows this.

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BETTER John Wayne (born Marion Robert Morrison)

John Wayne sounds like an all-American cowboy. Marion sounds French -- and it's a girl's name.

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BETTER Hulk Hogan (born Terry Gene Bollea)

Terry Gene Bollea has had a bevy of stage names including "The Super Destroyer", "Sterling Golden", "Terry Boulder", "Hulk Machine", "Hollywood Hogan" and "Mr. America." Only one stuck. With good reason: Hulk Hogan is just so delightfully 80s.

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BETTER Dr. Dre (born Andre Romelle Young)

Dre did right by shortening his name and throwing doctor at the front, taken from a childhood basketball idol. The name goes well with his mature rap impresario persona. Names that don't: Young.

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WORSE Metta World Peace (born Ronald William "Ron" Artest, Jr.)

Is this some PR move to show us all he's done with all the temper tantrums and elbowing people for no reason? Does he hope to get in good with karma so he can get another championship? Newsflash: The Lakers still lost this year because they weren't team players, and no form of name swap will change that fact.

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WORSE Symbol (born Prince Rogers Nelson)

If you're name is associated with royalty, then why change it? We're still wondering why The Artist Formerly Known As Prince (or as he was known at the time) decided to go with an androgynous symbol instead of his given name. Let's just say we're glad that he went back to Prince.

First of all there is nothing wrong with the name Sean Combs, especially for a producer. Secondly if you are going to change your name, don

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WORSE Yusuf Islam (from Cat Stevens, born Steven Demetre Georgiou)

Remember what we said about Cat Stevens being a cool-than-thou sounding name? Yusuf Islam... yeah not so much.

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WORSE Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.)

In the same vein as Muhammad Ali, boxer Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., chose to change his name after converting to Islam. The difference is Ali's choice was both catchy and cool, while Alcindor's choice was simply a mouthful.

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WORSE The Rock (born Dwayne Johnson)

Honestly, anyone who wishes to change their name should not change their name to an inanimate object. It's understandable because at the time Johnson was a wrestler, but it is not excusable.

Credit: AP Photo/Evan Agostini

WORSE Dwayne Johnson (from The Rock, born Dwayne Johnson)

We just got used to calling you The Rock and you're going to pull this switcharoo on us, Dwayne? I know Dwayne Johnson is your real name, but why not take this opportunity to pick something... uh, better.

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WORSE Ben Kingsley (born Krishna Pandit Bhanji)

We kind of dig the traditional Indian name, and while Sir Ben Kingsley sounds noble, Sir Krishna Pandit Bhanji just sounds BAMF. Especially if you played Gandhi.

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WORSE Kim Humphries (born Kimberly Noel Kardashian)

Though this isn't official yet, the most famous Kardashian should not lose the name that shot her and her family to fame. And, considering it was a sex tape that put her in the public eye, a last name with the word "hump" in it is just not a good idea.

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WORSE Nicholas Cage (born Nicolas Kim Coppola)

Cage chose to not flaunt his connection to the Coppola's early on in his career so that he could shine as an actor in his own right, while admirable was ineffective. Now the actor, complete with his insurmountable debt, is disappointing fans in his own right.

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Vanilla Ice (born Robert Matthew Van Winkle)

Yeah neither name screams hardcore rapper... and neither did that flattop.

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WORSE 50 Cent (born Curtis James Jackson III)

Curtis James Jackson III chose the name 50 Cent as a metaphor for change. While that may make sense to some, it makes no cents to us.

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WORSE Ice-T (born Tracy Marrow)

Nothing screams hardcore like a refreshing drink of iced tea, lemon slice carefully placed on the side. Bonus negative points for being punny.

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WORSE Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz)

Gene Simmons became famous for wearing mask of make-up and having a super long tong. Somehow changing his name from Chaim Witz to something more normal seems counterproductive to us.

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WORSE Sasha Fierce (from Beyonc

Even though Beyonce's alter ego won her ten Grammy nominations in 2010, the name is downright silly. The only person who truly enjoys the moniker is Tyra Banks.